The Namibia Farmworkers’ Union (Nafwu) has unveiled a list of 20 farms, whose owners allegedly do not pay the minimum wages to farm labourers, the union claims. The list includes the farm of former president Sam Nujoma. His farm near Otavi is called Etunda and is run by Matti Asino of the Etunda Farm Trust.

Samson Amupanda, who is the acting secretary general to the union told reporters this week that the farm labourers at Etunda farm complained to Nafwu they allegedly only get paid N$ 200 per month plus rations. The minimum wages agreed by government, Nafwu and commercial farmers is N$ 429.- per month. Attempts to reach Mr Asino on Etunda proved fruitless. The names of other farms in the Otavi and Tsumeb areas, where owners allegedly pay workers below the minimum are Ramseck, Karlsruhe, Rentes, Fischer, Makkie-Makkie, Vryheid, Louisville, Philadelphia, Buffelshoek, Guinas-weide, Salem, Juweel, Massaus, Omupalala, Weda, Algier and Moshoek. On a separate list complied by Nafwu, more farms are mentioned with its owners alleged to pay lower salaries than the minimum: Karolinenhof (Plot 2), Plot Kleindal, Andes, Bergskadu, Dakota, Stark, Kamkanas, Skoll, Burgershof, Malta, Grasvlakte, Welverdiend.

The Namibia Farmworkers’ Union has called on the Namibian government to expropriate Farm Otjiku of an affirmative action farmer, Bounty Awaseb to be expropriated. Awaseb dumped farm workers of the farm on the nearby main road to Otjiwarongo earlier this year. He bought the farm via AgriBank but did not want to keep the employees of the previous owner. According to Nafwu acting secretary general Samson Amupanda, Awaseb had an eviction order refused by the court and he was now violating the anti-eviction policy of the Namibian government. Amupanda said on Wednesday, if the government did not expropriate the farm, then AgriBAnk should terminate Awaseb’s loan agreement.